


Reflections of Demons

by evilgenus



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-09-23
Updated: 2012-01-22
Packaged: 2017-10-23 23:23:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/256245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evilgenus/pseuds/evilgenus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the fight on the bridge takes an unusual turn, the whole Naruto tale changes, based off the one-shot Mirror, by Uchiki na Kage, see what happens when a hidden truth is exposed see inside for better summary ...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Disclaimer

Hello all, Evil Genus here. I am starting off a new story; one that is going to be a serious undertaking which I promise to go from start to finish. It may take a while, and I cannot guarantee when each update occurs, but it will be finished. Nor am I stopping my other stories. If I seem to be taking a while between postings, please remember I unfortunately have to work for a living and attempt to have a life outside of work. As such, sometimes I can’t goof off, I may be one of the bosses, but I still answer to someone else.

This is my disclaimer, statement and warnings about what you are to about to read…

DISCLAIMER:  
First off I don’t own Naruto! If I did, Sasuke would not be getting all the good fight scenes, Itachi would be miraculously found NOT dead, and Naruto would not be portrayed as such an idiot. Oh, and so help me, ninja’s would be Ninja’s… Hello anyone else not read up on history and realizes that these are spies and assassins, not heroes? They are the ones who do the dirty work so that the rest of can live in oblivious bliss…sorry small rant, not happy with the manga lately, but I have read it all, so I have to stick with it. Nor do I make any money from this; all I get is a headache from the stress and the happy feeling of a well done chapter. (Snickering with laughter)

STATEMENT:  
So anyway, about a little less than year ago I read this great 1-shot when I was surfing for good stories to read. It was called “MIRROR” by Uchiki na Kage.

And I loved it; it had such an interesting twist on things, not to mention it had some of my favorite characters that I wished had never died in it. Although I understand why Masashi Kishimoto did it, I kind of wish he hadn’t. (Mumbling about writers who kill the good characters to quick)

So it sat in the back of my mind as a story begging to be told. Here was a chance to write a story that doesn’t hide the fact they are training children to be killers, even if it is an ‘alternate reality’ still NINJA!

I finally broke down, and decided to contact the author and ask, can I write the sequel, and after a bit I got an answer back.

“Go for it!”

So I created “Reflections of Demons”

WARNINGS:  
So here are several statements to understand about this story, and what I never want to hear people questioning, if you don’t like go away…just kidding…but I will mock you for not understanding.

(1) It begins with a twist that occurs on the bridge in Waves.  
(2) There will be no bashing or exaggeration of characters bad traits for fun, and any appearance of bashing is because I haven’t gotten to the part of the story where I explain why they are the way they are. Truth is every character if you ‘read underneath the underneath’ has bad and good points. This story shows it, and shows it by slowly making you understand the character.  
(3) My Naruto will be forced to let go of his mask. It will not be fast, it will not show him as a super hero, and it will not make him dark. It will make him for what I always saw him as, one screwed up kid who just wanted someone to notice him. And the story is about Naruto, he is the main character, maybe not in that the story will completely revolve around him as the center figure, but because he touches every character in some way and that is what makes him the pivotal point. No Naruto, no story…it is about his life, but more so in how this one child changed the world around him, one person at a time…starting at the bridge. Every character is in some way affected by him.  
(4) This will be dark; my ninja village will show you the dark side of that life, and the understanding of it.  
(5) Anyone who asks me about couples will be sent an EVIL glare. This is not about romance as all of the characters are screwed up in some way, well maybe not Iruka. Seriously, I might have couples, but if I do they are just a side of the story, it is not what the story is about! And If I do pairings, it is my choice which ones they are. I will listen to your point of view if it is a good one, but unless you are on my ‘sounding board’ crew, please don’t ask. It is frustrating to be asked about couples, when your story is not a romance.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST:  
Although it is not required to understand this story; I highly suggest before you read any further that you go read the one shot:

“MIRROR” by Uchiki na Kage. You can find link on my Author page under favorites: or copy past this URL:

www (dot)fan fiction(dot)net/ s/ 3438341/   
(Remove spaces and insert ‘.’ as needed) (Sorry they don’t let you have web addresses in chapters…)

This author totally deserves their kudos for an original one-shot, and my thanks for letting little old me write this story about it.

Thank you for reading this, and I hope you enjoy the tale within. Remember the story is called “Reflections of Demons” but the questions than becomes who doesn’t have a demon inside them?

EVIL GENUS


	2. CH1 Realizations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the fight on the bridge takes an unusual turn, the whole Naruto tale changes, based off the one-shot Mirror, by Uchiki na Kage, see what happens when a hidden truth is exposed see inside for better summary ...
> 
> “The difficulty in life is the choice” – George Moore

Chapter 1: Life altering Decisions

Part 1 – Realizations…

Zabuza looked out at the water from the tree he sat in. His head rested against the hilt of his sword, Kubikiri Hōcho, pondering the problem that lay before him. It had been only a few days since the bridge incident. A few days since Haku’s mirrors had shattered after stripping away the lies a small blonde boy had been telling himself. Shattering everything in that moment of time, from Zabuza’s ideals about Konoha, to plans for the future. He cursed to himself, as he thought back to the conversations that had taken place over the past few days.

Haku…Haku had awakened almost as soon as they had arrived back at Tazuna’s home. Although tired from the battle, he had just needed time to recover from the emotional shock. The Demonic Ice Mirrors, although normally unbreakable, had been unable to withstand the strange chakra the blonde boy had given off. As if their strength had been pulled from them, they reverted to their true nature. Reflecting truths, truths that everyone tried to deny.

Whatever truths the mirrors had shown the boy, Haku had seen. It had shattered Haku, who still suffered from his own personal demons, which appeared to resonate with the gaki. Upon awakening he had cried out to Zabuza, looking to his mentor to save the boy, as he had been saved all those years ago. As he had stuttered out what he had seen, Zabuza had felt his heart clench. It couldn’t be true, Konoha had always been known as the safest and kindest Shinobi village for anyone to live in. That they cared for their orphans, that everyone was considered family. It was not possible that a child could be suffering as Haku described.

But as Haku had spoken, the image of the blonde’s eyes as he had looked up, surrounded by the shattered mirrors, struck him. Dead, dead as no child’s eyes should ever be. Those eyes which if they were to be seen should only be on men who had lived through wars, or had suffered for years. Old Men, Soldiers, never children. Especially not one as young as that boy usually portrayed himself to be. Those eyes worried him, especially when he thought back to the way they looked back when he had first fought with the gaki. Where was the determination, the innocence that had been in his eyes when he had claimed he would one day be Hokage?

How could a child that young learn to lie with his eyes so well, he thought to himself, to even fool me.

After calming Haku down, he had gone to check on the Gaki, only to be disgusted by what he saw. One of the two injured boys was being fawned over by the girl, carefully wrapped in bandages, water and medicines resting next to him. Shuffled off to the side, the other boy lay as if forgotten. He slept fitfully, ignored and not even taken out of his bloodied clothes. He looked so forlorn and alone even as he tossed and moaned in his sleep.

As he left he had bumped into the bridge builder’s grandson. The boy had been worried about the blonde, and his words echoed in Zabuza’s head. ‘You mean no one is bothering with him,’ the boy’s bitter voice telling a story all its own. Sometimes it is the children who notice when something is off. ‘I heard he had it hard, I don’t want him sad here.’ Why would a client’s child be aware of a ninja’s past? Why would he care?

‘He yelled at me and he was right, but the others didn’t know he was. They don’t know him, I don’t know him! But he’s great; he knows to cry when it’s happy! He’s so cool but they’re mean to him!’

The words kept echoing through Zabuza’s head. They had followed him down to where the kid’s sensei Hatake had been. Even the memory of how he had found him made his lips curl in disgust. His students were injured and the man was reading porn, sitting out in the open in a house with a small child. When questioned about the health of his students, only concern over the Uchiha had been expressed. Nothing about the blonde gaki, even when asked specially, it was as if Hatake didn’t care if the boy survived.

That was what bothered Zabuza the most. Growing up in Kiri, it had often been the topic about how Konoha genin were protected like children by their Jounin sensei. How the Shodai Hokage had taught the Sandaime, how the Sandaime’s own teammates still work by his side to govern Leaf. How the Sandaime taught a team that stayed close until years of war drove them off. How even after betraying the leaf, Orochimaru always fled battles with Jiraiya, as if not wanting to kill his ex-teammate. How Jiraiya left Konoha permanently after the loss of his student, the Yodaime Hokage, as if he could not bear to live in the village where his student had died.

‘Konoha treats their teammates and fellow shinobi as family. Their loyalty to each other is unmatched by any other village. To attack a genin when his Jounin sensei is nearby is almost certain death.’

Those were hard truths that had been taught to every Kiri warrior. Yet, Hatake didn’t seem to care for any of his students, except the Uchiha. He knew of the massacre, but surely this team had been picked to help stabilize the boy. Why was that one student blatantly being ignored?

After taking a walk outside, to cool off from his talk with Hatake, he had returned to find Haku caring for the gaki. He had watched silently from the shadows, noticing how the child had watched Haku as if confused that someone would help him. As if he had never known a kind touch. His eyes had been like a little boy watching a parent or sibling patch up a scraped knee for the first time. Yet, every so often subtle flinches occurred, as if he expected Haku to suddenly turn on him.

When he had finally shown himself, the boy had braced. It was there, no longer hidden, fear. The boy’s eyes had not just been dead, but resigned, as if he knew it was his place to be tormented and alone. When his eyes had squinted, as if noticing that Zabuza was looking at them, they had squinted to hide the look in them. But Zabuza had noted the lines around his eyes, he squints often to hide what is in his eyes, he noted.

He had not expected what had happened when he asked the kid what he wanted, what he dreamed. The words, although impassioned, almost fooled him. Haku had laughed and looked with awe at what the boy, Naruto, had spoken of. But Zabuza was an experienced Ninja. He had seen so much more. He had seen the pink haired girl curling her lips in disgust, the Uchiha boy had watched Naruto with a closed expression, but his eyes had hidden something.

But what had truly caught Zabuza had been the meaning underneath the words the boy had spoken.

“I want to be Hokage, so everyone can acknowledge me.” I want to be seen, no longer ignored.

“That way they will all be my precious people and I will protect them all.” So they will have to care about me, and I can prove that I mean them no harm.

“The best Hokage ever, better than all the others!” I will be remembered not forgotten.

“Damn it!” Zabuza bent his head against his blade’s handle and wished to the Kami’s that he hadn’t seen the pain, that they had never taken this job, and that the mirrors had not bound Haku and the boy. He knew he couldn’t leave the boy; he was broken, but still trying to put himself together. Not as others saw him, but as he wanted to be seen; happy, carefree, and safe.

Who is he? He wondered. Too many inconstancies existed, and what he knew of the history of Konoha, made his heart clench. Please be wrong.

{RoD}

“Zabuza?” Haku’s voice softly reached his ears.

He waited, and in a moment Haku sat in front of him on the branch.

“The boy?” he asked quietly.

“Asleep, he seems to be recovering at a remarkable rate. Perhaps a blood-line, though I would think that something like that would be known and hunted throughout the shinobi nations, even in Kiri.” Haku stated this calmly, watching Zabuza, who still had not raised his head from its resting place on Kubikiri Hōcho.

Zabuza raised his brow at the clothes Haku was wearing. Shinobi pants, a mesh shirt and his hair pulled into a topknot. “Change of style?” he asked curiously.

Haku lips curled in a sneer. “The pink haired bitch, she keeps questioning if I’m a boy. She seems convinced I’m a girl and that I am trying to steal her precious Uchiha. I figured seeing me dressed like this, and if I don’t wear that ribbon on my neck she will realize I’m male!”

Laughing softly, Zabuza understood Haku’s frustration. He was a very effeminate looking boy, which had been useful, as it helped people to underestimate him. Not to mention he could pretend to be an innocent girl to get information or get closer to a target. But Haku was a boy, almost 15 and too often mistaken for a girl. Back when they had still been in Mist few people had questioned him, mostly because he had become a hunter-nin at an earlier age.

Zabuza had originally been against the boy becoming a hunter, but in the end it was the best place to hide for a boy with a bloodline in Kiri, since the missions were often solo. Up until the attempted coup d'état, his abilities with Hyouton had remained hidden. Zabuza worried often about what would become of Haku; he was too dependent on keeping Zabuza alive. Yet, he had no idea how to get Haku to realize he needed to live for himself and not Zabuza.

Thinking back to the fight on the bridge, he remembered the dark chakra that had frozen him for a moment. The heartbreaking scream that had caught both his and Hatake’s attention stopping them in mid-charge and redirecting their priorities. They found Haku sobbing on the ground, and the blonde boy’s soul and mind breaking in front of them. He remembered the wary glance the Jounin had given his blonde student.

Zabuza grunted, “Haku, tell me about the fight,” he waited patiently. Zabuza knew Haku would not just speak of the fight but also his personal observations, for he had taught the boy well.

“The two of them were fighting well together. Just as when you faced them at the lake, they seemed to form a cohesive fighting unit without even trying. The Uchiha developed his sharingan, and I instantly knew I needed to finish the fight fast. The two, they felt as if they were great friends, so I aimed for Naruto who had taken more hits. I thought that once he was out of the way it would be easier to take out the Uchiha, although I did not aim to kill.”

Zabuza nodded, Haku would not kill unless no other choice existed. Zabuza would never push him to kill, the boy’s heart was not hardened, even after the time served as a hunter in Kiri, and he would keep it that way as long as possible.

“Uchiha figured it out, and he took the hits. He moved in front, and his face was shocked. Both of them,” Haku paused to consider his words. “Naruto questioned why his teammate would save him, as if confused. The Uchiha answered him ‘My body moved on its own’. I think his actions confused both of them. My guess is that neither is willing to admit they are friends. Why I do not know.”

Zabuza nodded, from what he knew of the Uchiha clan, they were not the type to sacrifice themselves for others but from what he had seen, those two had some connection, although what it was, he did not know.

“After the Uchiha was unconscious, things went wrong,” Haku’s voice hitched. “The air became oppressive. I tried to rile Naruto into giving up, asking if he had never seen a comrade killed, trying to get him to admit defeat. I thought he would be easy to manipulate. But with every word I said, the air around the boy became darker. I watched as he put the Uchiha down, and then stood, His hands were clenched, and his chakra started spiking, it-I-,” Haku stopped, and Zabuza waited patiently.

As Haku tried to calm himself, Zabuza remembered the strange chakra that had flowed over the bridge. He had not been near the center of it, and even he had frozen at the feel of it. He had thought it had been Kakashi, but Haku had seen it intimately. Part of him wanted to tell Haku it was okay, he didn’t need to explain, but he needed this information, so he waited patiently for Haku to continue.

“The air around him started to simmer from heat. The senbon that had hit him were pushed out of his body. Steam streamed from the wounds as they healed over. Chakra started to swirl around him, I could see it, and feel it. It was red, and it almost bubbled like it was burning. It made my blood freeze with the malice that it gave off. It felt dark, evil. I have never felt anything like it before,” Haku swallowed. “Then I noticed changes in Naruto. His hands, he kept clenching and unclenching them and they altered into a more demonic claw like form with black talon-like nails.

“His hair started changing, it went from that short spiky hair mess he has, to I guess you would say fuller, and wilder, as if his entire body was becoming feral. Then he looked up, and his face,” Haku turned his head to the side, then started up again, “Those slight fangs he has, they had elongated, I think he could tear a person throat out with those teeth quite easily, in that form. The whisker like scars on his face, they darkened…became frightening looking.”

Haku turned back to Zabuza, “You have seen the boy up close. He looks like a young child, innocent with those chubby cheeks, he has the appearance of a little defenseless animal,” Haku paused, “but when the chakra started up, he looked older, vicious, and I think most shinobi would freeze from his appearance. When he opened his eyes, Zabuza, I have never been as afraid as when those eyes caught mine.”

“Why?” Zabuza finally chose to speak. What Haku was telling him was making him curse loudly inside his head. Could it be? But Konoha, especially the Sandaime, they were always against the creation of such weapons. Or was that just a public front?

“Zabuza, people have claimed that your eyes are a killer’s eyes, a demon’s eyes. If those people had seen the boy’s eyes at that moment, no one would mistake you for one again. Those eyes… they made me- on a primitive level- want to flee. They were evil, hungry, bloodthirsty, and so very angry. His eyes were no longer blue, but blood red, glowing, and slit like a wild animals or a demon’s. I nearly broke and ran. The mirrors, they started shaking from the raging chakra that was surrounding the boy.”

Haku stopped and stared out at the water in front of him, his body shaking at the memory.

“Red chakra shot out of him in a pillar, it almost felt like it was trying to take shape-“

“What shape would you say?” Zabuza asked quietly.

Haku closed his eyes as if trying to remember without letting his emotions get in the way, “A fox.”

Damn it, Zabuza let nothing how on his face, “What happened next?”

“The chakra shattered some of the mirrors, the ones left standing started reverting to their base form. The one I use to spy on people or for traveling. The ones I hate to use, because they reflect truths. The boy started running towards the mirror I was hiding in, and he seemed to catch his reflection in the mirror. That was when it happened. The mirrors showed him a demonic image even more gruesome then he was at that moment, and the boy faltered.

“His eyes flickered to blue, although still slit, but what had been evil and hungry was suddenly…” Haku turned and looked Zabuza in the eyes. “I know those eyes, but even I do not think mine or yours where ever like that. That was when the mirrors reflected his truths. The images of his pain, loneliness, never knowing human touch in kindness was reflected. Fearing everyone, for they all looked at him with such eyes, as if he was unworthy of life, lower than the dirt on the ground, fear of him, disgust at his existence, hatred. They looked at him constantly as if he had no right to exist, as if they desired his death.

“How he would go hungry, no one caring, hiding in the darkness, tears never falling. The way he watched others from a distance, pretending to be something weak and defenseless so that he could have some companionship, even if it wasn’t the kindest. But yet he was still watching as they went home to families. He went home to nothing. That was when Naruto started choking and grabbing at his chest, as if someone was forcing him to relieve what he had buried deep.”

“Who screamed?” Zabuza asked softly.

“I did, the mirrors were showing everything to me, most of it flashing too fast for me to see, not a single kind memory at all, some were less cruel, but they still had bitterness tinged in them. I couldn’t take it, and he was coughing up blood as if his heart was being torn to shreds inside of him. Then the mirrors shattered. And I felt him shatter with them, and I screamed, because he wouldn’t.”

Zabuza was silent as Haku got himself under control. Damn it, Damn it, so that is why, that boy, he-Kami what to do?

“Why haven’t you planned our escape? We can take him with us- they don’t want him. I doubt they would pursue us,” Haku questioned softly. “I could disable them and we could be gone and have enough distance before they were able to give chase. Which I don’t think they would with the way they treat him.”

Zabuza thought about how to respond and decided honesty was best. Haku needed to understand completely what they would be getting into if they decided to stay with the boy.

“They may not want him, but they will not let him go,” An unwanted weapon? I never thought I would see the day. Another village would kill for this boy and yet Konoha…

“What do you mean, Zabuza? Who is he?” Haku looked at him intently.

“Based on the history of Konoha that I know, what you told me and the feel of that chakra… Haku, the boy I would guess he is-,” Zabuza stopped and looked out at the water. He started again, “Jinchuuriki.”

Haku froze, he knew that term, only he had never thought to meet another one. Zabuza had spoken of them with hatred in his voice. Mist had for years tried to create one that was perfect, but they always went insane. “No,” he whispered, “the boy can’t be…he’s…the boy is a weak fighter, and his heart is innocent beneath the pain.”

“Haku,” Zabuza interrupted. “They did not make him as a weapon, in fact I would say they want him dead, but he is too powerful to destroy.” Haku looked at Zabuza, his head tilted in curiosity. “Twelve years ago, Konoha was attacked by the Kyuubi, the most powerful and dangerous of the Bijou. The Yodaime, a seal-master, died defeating the beast. Kiri has always wondered, as have other villages, how he defeated it. That boy is 12 years old with two chakra sources- one of them evil. The marks on his face, his healing ability; they sealed it in him, and now they don’t want him, and are afraid of him.”

“So what do we do?” Haku asked quietly. He had spent time with the boy, before and after the mirror incident. He liked him, wanted to help him. Naruto was no demon or insane vessel of a demon. He radiated such warmth. The mirrors had bound them by allowing him to see into the boy’s soul. He couldn’t abandon him.

“We have to decide. If we leave him to his fate at the village by leaving him alone again-” Haku snarled at this, “or we become Konoha shinobi and take care of him.”

Haku was silent as he thought it over. “We are missing-nin, how can we become a part of the village?”

Zabuza was silent. They both stared at the lake before them, deep in thought.

“He is close to their Hokage.”

Zabuza looked sharply at that. His eyes narrowed, “Explain.”

“He kept saying how his precious people weren’t around. I asked who they were. A ramen chef, who I think sells him food that isn’t spoiled or overcharged; his daughter who works the counter and who always has a kind smile. An academy teacher who he says often buys him meals and watches out for him. The Hokage’s grandson and the Hokage himself; who takes him for ramen every once in awhile. I think the Hokage tries to help him, or keeps an eye out. The fondness in his voice, he calls him ‘Jiji’. The girl, she yelled at him from across the room for calling the Hokage such a lowly term, but Naruto, I think that is what he always calls him.”

Zabuza started thinking fast. “We could do it, but it would require tradeoffs.”

Haku turned and waited for Zabuza to continue.

“We trade what we have; we hint we know what the boy is. Throw in that we are tired of being on the run, and are interested in joining the village. We would have to disclose why we are missing-nin. We use the fact you are Jounin rank with a blood-line, which considering the purges that took place in Mist, they will be inclined to believe us. Konoha has always been blood-line happy, unlike other villages. They will want to have the last Hyouton user to form a new clan. It helps that you are listed in the bingo book as an unknown hunter-nin”

Haku flinched, a lifetime of hiding and now he would be desired for this hated ability.

“You and I have both felt it, war is coming, they will not easily turn away an S-class nin, and a blood-line user. They probably don’t know about Sound. Oto has been recruiting, but we both didn’t like the way they were asking about your abilities. We can trade what we know about it. If we word the request ourselves, we can catch their attention. At least it’s enough to get safe rights into the village and discuss it with the Hokage and his council. Then we bribe our way in, and make sure that they know we are only there for the boy.”

Zabuza stopped and thought about it, “Well have to play up the mirror connection, make it seem like you are partially bound to the boy. They don’t know anything about your abilities other than creating ice. The fact you can travel through those mirrors and use them to spy-,” He stopped, “it should work. The question is, are we ready to give up on Kiri? The chance we can ever try again to stop the Mizukage is unlikely.”

“This boy…there is something special about him, the mirrors wanted me to help him. For him to have survived as long as he has…perhaps that is the way. Kiri hates Konoha. If war comes, they will be on the other side. Perhaps this is fate’s way of helping us.” Haku finally responded. His heart kept screaming at him to help the boy. He knew he had to, but he couldn’t leave Zabuza. “Also, if Konoha has become a place that could do this to a child, and our goal was to turn Kiri into a village similar to Konoha, how can we not help him?”

Zabuza looked up at Haku, eyes narrowed in consideration as Haku continued, “If Konoha is no longer the place it once was, then how can any other village be saved if it has become a place that would turn on a child created to save and protect them, and hurt the child as they have. Perhaps we start by saving a once kind place and making it that way again, and from then on we look to Kiri. To change Kiri we need an ideal to live up to, and if Konoha has fallen, then it needs to be saved first, so that others will try again to live up to them once more.”

“So be it,” Zabuza felt a breeze, and for the first time in awhile he felt at peace. Perhaps saving this boy, will be what Haku needs to finally heal.


	3. Chapter 1 Part 2: Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “A plan is a list of actions arranged in whatever sequence is thought likely to achieve an objective.”  
>  – John Argenti
> 
> Chapter 1: Life altering Decisions
> 
> Part 2 – Plans

Haku stared out into the night, Zabuza silent beside him. After an hour of talking, they had begun to form a plan to gain entrance into Konoha. Over the next few days he would bond with Naruto, but not to gain information, because if Zabuza was right, the boy was ignorant of current events. No, it was to fool the Copy-nin into believing that the ‘bond’ between them was one that could not be easily broken. Haku did not mind, he remembered the morning spent with Naruto before the fight at the bridge. In that morning, he had felt like an innocent child again, playing with friends in the forest around his home village.

I wonder, he thought, in another lifetime if we had met under better circumstances, would I feel the same connection?

“Haku?” Zabuza’s voice interrupted his thoughts.

“Hai, Zabuza?” he answered, turning to look at his mentor.

“Can you form a connection with the boy easily? One that not even the Copy-nin can ignore?”

Haku was silent, “Yes, I can. I didn’t tell you but we met before the fight at the bridge. We spoke, and for a moment…” Haku paused. “It reminded me of my life before my Hyouton abilities awoke. I also felt that Naruto enjoyed the day as much as I did.” Haku smiled softly, “But the hardest part will be being open with him.”

Zabuza tilted his head in confusion, waiting for Haku to continue.

“For all that Naruto acts like a simple child, he isn’t. Like any child who has grown up alone, he has the survival instincts. It seems he chooses to ignore then at times, but,” Haku closed his eyes trying to recollect small signs he had seen, trying to sort the knowledge to explain it. “He does see things others don’t. He can sense harm, lies, and when he is being manipulated. The problem is that he is so desperate to be accepted, he ignores those instincts. We will need to work on that, but I can work around it right now. I think to form the bond all I will have to do is show him that we are very alike in so many ways.”

“You plan to speak of your past to him?”

“Hai. If anyone could understand, it would be him. He would feel closer to me for it, and once I can get him to truly trust me, it will be easy to connect. As you know, trust is easiest between those who are the same.”

Zabuza thought back to how Haku had bonded to him. Yes, people that are different and hated find peace of mind best with those like themselves- broken soul to broken soul.

“I will watch silently from the sidelines. The copy-nin, he is more observant then he portrays, but he also seems to want to ignore certain things. Especially the boy…and it worries me.”

Haku nodded in agreement. He himself had noticed the Copy-nin, for all that one eye was hidden and the other always appeared focused on that book, seemed to be aware of everything around him. The man watched the girl with very well hidden disgust that only appeared when she fawned over the Uchiha or yelled at Naruto; he watched the Uchiha with worry and something else- what, Haku couldn’t tell. He seemed to want to avoid looking at his blonde student though. It was as if looking at the boy brought him nothing but pain. Haku decided to mention this to Zabuza.

“I know,” Zabuza stated silently. “I think the Hatake Kakashi is afraid to see the child for what he is. Why, I am unsure, but we will figure it out. That is not my concern for now. That will come when we are safe in Konoha and have to deal with the boy being on his team. For now, I want to get us into Konohagakure, so I can see more of what is going on, and get a feel for the Hokage. That is where most of our questions will be answered.”

Haku nodded, and with one more glance to the open night sky over the lake in front of them, both silently disappeared, to then materialize at the bridge builder’s home.

{RoD}

Haku giggled, as he watched Naruto and Inari fight over breakfast at the table. The Uchiha was still upstairs recovering, and the pink haired girl, Sakura, had eaten quickly to head back up stairs. Copy-nin Kakashi sat reading his book, after eating so fast no one had seen his face. Zabuza had raised a non-existent eyebrow at this, and then focused on the food. Tazuna and his daughter were still quiet around them, but after a few days were finally not jumping at the movements of the missing-nin who had taken up residence in their home.

“Tsunami-san, this breakfast is quite good,” Haku stated softly, trying to control his laughter.

“Thank you, Haku-kun, it isn’t often I get compliments,” the woman smiled gently, her eyes on the two boys fighting over the last onigiri. Her heart had become quietly happy seeing Inari finally smiling like a child again.

“Naruto-nii, can we go fishing later today?” Inari shouted out.

Naruto smiled a large grin at the boy, “Hai, if Kakashi-sensei doesn’t have any plans for us?” Naruto glanced at his sensei.

Dropping the book slightly, the jounin’s eye crinkled like he was smiling, “I have no problem with it, Sakura needs to get out, so I was going to send her to the bridge today with Tazuna-san, and I will stay here with you and Sasuke,” he said, a small eye flicker at Zabuza, to show he didn’t completely trust them.

“Want to come also, Haku?” Naruto asked with a wide grin.

“Hai,” Haku said with a small grin of his own.

Zabuza watched this all in silence. A part of him was astonished. Based on what Haku had stated the night before, he figured Naruto would still be injured this morning, but when he had woken, it was to find Naruto already downstairs, injuries un-bandaged and gone, not a hint of scars anywhere. His clothes exchanged for clean ones, although the jacket was left off, leaving him in the glaring orange pants and a black undershirt.

Haku himself had come downstairs, his hair still down, to glance at the boy in shock, before he smiled.

What concerned Zabuza was the smile the blonde boy wore. It was as if nothing had occurred. His female teammate had stared at him, and then eaten quickly to run upstairs. The boy’s eyes had dimmed at the girl’s actions, but with the arrival of Inari with a loud cry of “Nii-san, you’re all better!” had returned to smiling as if nothing had happened in the past few days.

“Maa, I should go get Sakura,” the jonin stated, getting up.

“Kakashi-sensei, perhaps I should go since she’s watching the teme?” Naruto asked loudly, his eyes squinting hard.

“No Naruto, she needs to do some work as well and you’re still recovering,” Kakashi patted the boy on his head, before heading up the stairs.

Naruto watched his sensei go upstairs, and then silently went back to eating. As if sensing his mood, Tazuna and his daughter stood up.

Zabuza watched as Naruto seemed to visibly shake off what was bothering him, and then turned to look at him. His eyes for a moment were unguarded and stared at him with questions. Questions that Zabuza knew the boy would never ask. He simply returned the look, lifting his face into a small smile, watching as the boy’s eyes dipped to his sharpened teeth.

“Why are your teeth like that?” Zabuza was almost startled by the question.

Hatake was right, most surprising ninja, he thought before answering. “In mist, those who become swordsman have their teeth sharpened like a sharks.”

“Cool!” the boy stated, and then turned around to ignore him, as he heard footsteps on the stairs.

“Jeez, Naruto, you look better to me,” Sakura’s voice grated out. She turned to the door to grab her shoes, as Tazuna came out to leave for the bridge.

As the door shut, Zabuza watched as Hatake came down the stairs, his one eye narrowed at the door, where the young kunoichi had been standing. So, he can be disproving of other’s behavior towards the boy? Zabuza thought.

“Maa, why don’t you boys head out now to fish? It would be a good way to relax?” Kakashi stated, sending another eye-smile at the three boys sitting at the table.

“Come on, Naruto-nii,” Inari stated, standing up and pulling on the boy.

Haku looked at Zabuza and received a nod before standing to follow after. “What are you up to, Zabuza?”

The two jonin looked at each other, “What makes you so suspicious, copy-nin? Perhaps I just want time to relax.”

{RoD}

Zabuza was settled in a tree silently watching from a safe distance. Kakashi was in another tree, attempting to watch the boys and Zabuza simultaneously, his expression apathetic. But Zabuza had seen it, the curiosity in the way Naruto and Haku had acted. Haku had an empathetic touch when it came to the boy. He seemed to be able to quiet the blonde, and help redirect his nervous energy. It had been strange to watch, Haku and Inari teaching Naruto the fish, but in a way that let the boy believe they hadn’t noticed he seemed ignorant of a past time all little boys should know.

It was saddening to see, the boy was so lost in how to act like an ordinary child. He seemed desperate to keep everyone’s attention on him, as if he feared they would disappear at any moment. Luckily Inari had a major case of hero-worship, and Naruto seemed to relax with the younger child, as if he knew how to deal with him better then with Haku. Haku had just been silent most of the time watching them, but Zabuza could see it.

He already sees the boy as his own little brother. If it wasn’t for the fact I know that the mirror-forged bond is easily broken, even I would believe that they could not be separated easily. Zabuza worried slightly that Haku was being too careful and protective of the blonde, but the blonde was so fragile at moment, as if he wanted nothing more than to let Haku take care of him, but yet terrified to let him. Perhaps this is how to get Haku to live for himself? To have someone who needs his protection rather than trying to protect his protector?

After a few hours of fishing, Inari had fallen asleep, stretched out on an old blanket that the boy’s had brought. Naruto and Haku still sat with polls in their hands, enjoying the silence of the lake.

“Why are you still here?” Naruto’s voice was so soft Zabuza almost didn’t catch it. “I know you saw what the mirrors saw, so why haven’t you fled?”

Careful Haku, Zabuza prayed. He could sense a small chakra spike from the copy-nin and realized he had caught it as well and wanted to hear this.

Haku was silent for a bit, and then started to speak softly, “You know I wasn’t born to a ninja village, but in a small village in the northern part of water country, where it snowed all the time,” Haku started, placing his fishing poll to the side, bringing his knees up to his chest to start telling his tale.

“I grew up as an ordinary child till I was five years old. Shortly after my birthday I discovered my abilities. My bloodline! I had accidentally created an ice spike and like any child, I ran to my mother to tell her. That was the start of the end of my childhood.” Haku was silent for a bit, caught in memories. “My mother, when she saw it, for a second there was such pride in her eyes as she stared at the ice I could call forth, which quickly turned to fear. She grabbed me and said I was never to do that again, that I must not use Ice Chakra. She frightened me with the way she acted. So much so, that I tried to obey. But the ice responded to my emotions and it kept appearing. My father saw it.”

“Why was that bad?” Naruto asked softly, caught up in the story Haku was telling.

“In Kiri, bloodlines had become hated and feared. Those who had them were considered demons and hunted to near extinction. Once great clans were destroyed and the few that survived went into hiding. My mother was such a person. My father was an ignorant villager who believed that his wife and child were demons. He ran to the village and gathered up a mob. They appeared in the late afternoon, and my mother sent me into the hut to try and protect me. My father,” Haku caught his voice here, memories torturing him, “he killed her, and I saw it. Then the villagers came into the hut. Scared out of my mind, I-“

The silence between the two was heart-breaking to Zabuza, he so desperately wanted to go down and comfort both boys.

“My Hyouton abilities reacted to my fear. In a matter of moments Ice spikes appeared throughout the area, piercing the bodies of the villagers and my father. In an instant I had killed them all. After the shock wore off, I ran. For a year I kept running, hiding from everyone. I eventually wound up in a small town not far from Kiri, living on the streets, eating from dumpsters. That was when my life changed again, when Zabuza found me.” Haku smiled at the memory. “He found me in an alley fighting a dog for food. He looked at me and said I probably wouldn’t survive another winter.

“He was right, but I had nothing to live for and really didn’t care. Then I looked into his eyes. I could see so much in them. They were the same eyes I saw when I looked into any reflective surface. Pain, loneliness, a need to be accepted, and knowledge that it was probably never to happen. Your eyes are like mine, mister. That’s what I said to him, my fingers reaching out to touch him. He stared at me for a moment, and then offered me a choice. He could teach me to survive, help me to hide in plain sight; all I had to do was agree to be his weapon. Someone wanted me, needed me, and it was all I could ask for. I said yes.”

The two were quiet for a while, looking out at the lake. “But, is that all you are to him? Why stay with him?”

“But that wasn’t all I was to him, he treated me better then my own parents had, in public he was cruel and a hard task-master, but in private, he soothed my nightmares and gave me a purpose. In Kiri, I became his apprentice. He was a member of ANBU and one of the feared ‘Seven Swordsman of the Mist’ and I was taught to be worthy of him. He taught me taijutsu, genjutsu, ninjutsu, and weapons. I never became more then passable with swords, and as such, he had to dissolve the apprenticeship. But by then I was already chunin level, bordering on jonin. He had, most importantly, taught me to hide my bloodline in the village that would have destroyed me if they knew.

“I became ANBU, hunter-nin to hide further, since I couldn’t travel with him anymore, and to remain in a position to aid him in his cause. By then, I was about ten or eleven and he was already making plans for attacking the Mizukage. He had goals, ones I believed in and wanted to see furthered. Shortly after I was promoted to jounin, we attacked- Zabuza, me, and a few others. The attack failed but we managed to escape. I left behind signs that I had died in the battle, per Zabuza’s orders, so they wouldn’t declare me missing-nin.

“For the next few months we were on the run, and Zabuza gave me a new mask, to help me hide. He wanted me to alter my style of fighting, so no one could connect me to the hunter-nin who almost killed the Mizukage. Zabuza then showed his teaching abilities again by helping me master my Hyouton abilities. We had no scrolls, only stories of what the bloodline was capable of. With his help I altered my taijutsu style to work with my Hyouton and my ninjutsu style as well. Suddenly the bingo books were stating unknown Hyouton user of jounin level assisting Zabuza. But Haku, the hunter-nin who everyone thought had died in the attack, was dead.”

“That’s why he is precious to you?” Naruto asked, looking closely at him. There was such confusion in his face, and yet understanding as well.

“Ah, he is my father, brother, and friend all in one. I do not know who I am without him.”

“But why me? Why do you seem to care about me?”

Haku was silent, this is what mattered, and all could be made or destroyed with the next few words. “The mirrors, in the end, are just that…mirrors. As they reflected your truths, I was inside them and they made me see. I saw a boy who was just like me, but still alone. They bound me to you and I choose to keep this bond, and make it stronger. As Zabuza once helped me, I will help you,” Haku looked at him then turned away, “Zabuza-sama once said, ‘what one is taught, should be passed onto the next one who needs to learn.’ He told me that when I asked why he took me in, and I didn’t understand until I saw your pain. Zabuza gave me aid when I needed it, now it is my turn to give aid to you where it is needed.”

Naruto was silent, and then he turned and smiled, a soft smile, but a true one. It lit up his face and his eyes. “I think I understand.”

Zabuza felt the copy-nin leave, and smiled to himself. Next up, my move, he thought, watching as the two boys woke up the bridge-builder’s grandson to pack up and return home.

{RoD}

“I guess this is when we talk?” Kakashi stated, looking up into Zabuza’s eyes. It really is frustrating trying to read the face of someone who covers most of it, Kakashi thought.

Zabuza moved to sit down across from the Konoha nin, and thought on how to address this. He knew Kakashi, no matter how he acted, was a smart man. He knew that Zabuza wanted something but what he wasn’t sure about, but he had an inkling of an idea.

“You want to come to Konoha, don’t you,” At these words, Zabuza’s head shot up.

“Smart,” he answered, tilting his head to the side, “How did you figure it out?”

“You haven’t left and although we aren’t the type to go after bounty, you have no fear of me trying to kill you. I have thought it strange since you chose to return with us here, and especially your interest in Naruto,” Kakashi paused, “but I wonder how much of that was planned, by the lake.”

“Not as much as you would think. We knew you would watch us and we figured it would be easier to convince you to allow me to send a communication to your Hokage if you understood why. So we allowed you to hear them, instead of talking to the boy in private.”

“Explain to me what happened with the mirrors,” Kakashi put his book away and directed his gaze directly at Zabuza.

Zabuza stared back and then considered how to explain something that not even Haku understood completely.

“Haku’s mirrors, although chakra created, are still mirrors. He can use them to spy on people, to travel great distances, many things. He uses the Hyouton ability to make these mirrors, and as such, no matter how drained of chakra they become, they are not normal mirrors. What Haku hates is that sometimes they seem to alter. They begin do what happened at the bridge and become very similar to true mirrors, but they reflect truths. When this happened on the bridge, Haku was inside the mirrors, which means that it forged a connection. I am not sure how it works, but the more time they spend together the more it bonds them closer.”

Kakashi was silent, trying to decipher the hidden meanings. He knew from Tenzou, who had the Mokuton abilities of the First, odd things occurred when you created a new element. It was very possible that the Hyouton abilities could create connections. Mokuton could control demons, why not ice control emotions? What he kept coming back to was the smile on Naruto’s face. Although he had stayed away from the boy throughout his life, as looking at him caused pain, he saw this as a chance to help the boy. Hoping that his instincts were corrected he nodded, to the nuke-nin in front of him.

“I have to send a message to the Hokage about where we stand on this mission. I can include a missive from you. I can’t guarantee he will see you, but if you can word it right he will meet with you. I am sure as a missing-nin you have information that you can use to barter. Haku- since I have never seen him in the Bingo book- will have an easier time of it. It’s you who may have the problem. I assume you have a plan?”

“One I don’t plan to go over with you, if you don’t mind. I am not sure where you stand, but I do appreciate you allowing me to try,” Zabuza stood up, “I worry about Haku, and he needs the stability that he doesn’t get on the run.”

“You wonder why I’m helping, well that answers it. You seem to care about Haku, and like any good ninja, I can see underneath the underneath. You care for that boy and for that reason you care for Naruto. I don’t know why you didn’t try to take Naruto and run, but…” he looked off to the side lost in thought, “for that I will allow your missive to get through. If Hokage-sama sends back permission to allow you to come to Konoha for negotiations, I will make sure you arrive safely. And if it falls through, that you can leave as well.”

Zabuza nodded, and walked away. Tonight he would write out a note to the Hokage, secure in the knowledge that Kakashi would not speak unfavorably about them. “Guess this means I should write a short report as well. I wonder if I should mention Haku’s abilities.”

{RoD}

Pakkun ran through the woods outside of Konoha, still curious about what had happened the previous day. It had become rare for Kakashi to summon him. Yet here he had been summoned only to find out Kakashi had a genin team and the Uzumaki boy was on it. They had just been on a C-rank that turned wrong. Kakashi had needed a message taken to the Hokage not just for himself, but also for missing-nin. But it was the same missing-nin which caught Pakkun’s attention.

The younger one was a boy who smelled of snow and had the edginess of a high-ranked ninja, but his chakra and scents had made Pakkun feel safe around him. The boy intrigued him, especially when he smelled the chakra bond to the young Uzumaki. There was also the older one, who smelled of blood and water. At first he had been ill at ease and eager to run, as the older one had projected an aura that screamed “Run away!” But then the scents came to him: blood, water and change. He had not smelled a scent like that since he had met the Uzumaki boy’s mother.

That kunoichi, she had the scent of blood from all the battles she had survived, including the massacre of her own village, Water from her main chakra scent, which spoke of defense of those who needed it, and change. Change was a scent that often spoke of those who could change others, and the world around them. Whether for good or bad, Kakashi’s childhood teammate, the Uchiha, had that scent, his Sensei, the Yondaime, had that scent, and so did Uzumaki Naruto. Perhaps, this nuke-nin would bring change to Konoha, whose scent had been turning slowly in the past few years.

Pakkun scented the village ahead and put on another burst of speed. Hopefully he would be able to get into the Hokage’s office easily. Sometimes the ANBU tried to stop him, other times they realized he was Kakashi’s summon and allowed him through. Running through the gates he sensed the ANBU, and smirked as they allowed him to pass.

“Hokage-sama,” he said stopping at the office of the Hokage.

The old Hokage looked at him and smiled, “Pakkun, what brings you here,”

“Message from Kakashi, and a missing-nin,” the dog stated formally, dropping two messages on his desk.

Pakkun watched as the Hokage bit down on the pipe, a nervous habit that few had learned to read, but again summons were not normal creatures. He watched as Sarutobi first read Kakashi’s message and then, sighing softly, opened the other. Putting both aside, the Hokage seemed suddenly older as he looked out the window.

“Pakkun, I assume you can wait to take a message back?”

“Hai, Hokage-sama,” the dog answered.

“I need to meet with the elders, but I should have an answer soon. Could you wait here?”

Pakkun looked at him and nodded, settling down on the floor to rest. He watched as the old man sent an ANBU for his advisors, and stood up to leave for a conference room.

“Pakkun,” the summons looked up at the questioning tone, “What did they smell like to you?”

This is why Pakkun liked the old man, he understood summons and trusted them. “The boy, smelled of first snowfall, his chakra of falling snow, and he wasn’t tainted by a chakra bond to the Uzumaki boy. Instead I would say his chakra was soothing the young Uzumaki. The older one, smelled of Blood, Water and Change, reminded me of Kushina-chan.”

He watched as the Hokage smiled, and then walked out, “Thank you.”

Edited by Beta: Treyvoni Fox 5/24/2009  
Edited by seraluanma 10/7/2010


	4. Chapter 1 Part 3: Acceptance

“Decision making is the specific executive task.”   
Peter F. Drucker

Chapter 1: Life altering Decisions

Part 3 – Acceptance

The Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, looked out the window overlooking his village as he waited for his old teammates to arrive. In his hand lay the two missives Pakkun had brought him. His mind was awhirl with different thoughts, and he knew he had to be focused for this meeting. What would you do? He thought, looking up at the Yondaime’s face.

“Sarutobi? What has happened? You rarely call us unless something troubling has occurred.”

He turned and looked at his old teammates, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura. Although they had, over the years, disagreed with him on many things regarding how the village should be run, they had also understood when not to fight him. But with the missives he just received, their advice could help settle his mind. So easy to make the wrong choice here.

“I received a missive today from Kakashi about his mission in Wave,” he waited as they looked at him, “Perhaps we should sit for this.”

The two elders looked at each other and then sat down across from their old teammate, knowing that this was going to be an interesting conversation. Their old friend rarely asked for advice, and only when he was faced with a decision he could not trust himself to make.

“First it appears that we were given false information and the mission went from the C-rank I assigned to his team, to a B-rank, and finally A-rank. It appears that the mission is ending soon, with no casualties and few injuries. But many problems have arisen that decisions must be made on, that could possibly lead to benefiting the village. Or it could bring harm.”

“Hatake’s team? Did we not place the Uchiha and Uzumaki on that team?” Homura stated softly.

“Ah, it was our belief that Kakashi could keep an eye on young Sasuke, as his psych profile has been worrisome. Kakashi and his strong beliefs in teamwork would hopefully encourage ties to the team and the village. Also, as Uchiha tend to be either combat or assassin specialists and we wish him to be ‘grounded’, we figured placing him with the Uzumaki boy would make a good combat team. I believe we chose Haruno Sakura as the third, because we felt if she focused on her training instead of chasing after boys she would make a good Genjutsu or Medical-nin support for the two of them,” Utatane responded.

Sarutobi nodded his head; contrary to popular belief the idea of putting the ‘dead last’ with the class ‘rookie’ had been abandoned long ago. In actuality the Hokage and his old teammates knew that Naruto had been hampered in the academy. After seeing how Naruto had learned Kage Bunshin in only a few hours with no aid, they had also begun to suspect that he was more a kinesthetic learner. It was their belief that the boy would make large jumps in abilities once he began missions, rather than choosing to hold him back, and giving him the time to learn what the academy had not been teaching the boy. Since both his parents had been combat specialists, and they knew the boy’s loyalty was to the village, it seemed a good mix for the two to be placed on the same team.

And if either found themselves desiring to leave the village, Kakashi would be there to handle it, Sarutobi thought sadly.

“So what has happened that needs our attention?” Homura asked.

Taking another breath from his pipe, Sarutobi continued. “I will start by explaining what Kakashi has told me of the mission. A few days travel outside the village on the way to Wave, they were attacked by the Demon Brothers- Mist chuunin. That is when they realized the mission was higher ranked. Based on the team’s decision they continued on,” he smiled at the two in front of him, “I will let you read the full report when Kakashi finally turns it in, but it seems an impassioned plea from Naruto and agreement from Sasuke encouraged Kakashi to continue on. After arriving at Waves, they were then met by a jounin missing-nin, Momochi Zabuza, also known as the Demon of the Mist.”

He stopped at the sound of both elders taking a deep breath in. Rarely was a new genin team put in a situation where they would be fighting against a missing-nin, let alone a high A-class one such as Zabuza. Waiting for their nods, he continued on.

“Kakashi engaged Zabuza, and was caught. It appears that Naruto and Sasuke worked together to exact a plan Naruto thought up, which allowed Kakashi his freedom and continued the fight. The battle was stopped by a hunter-nin, who later turned out to be Zabuza’s accomplice. The following week was spent training, so that they would be better equipped for dealing with Zabuza. It is at that last battle that the problems began. It seems Zabuza’s accomplice is a survivor of the bloodline purges that occurred in Water country, a Hyouton user. Sometime during the battle, he managed to trap the boys in a Hyouton technique called Demonic Ice Mirrors. These Ice Mirrors appear to form a dome, in which the Hyouton user can transport between mirrors attacking those inside. The mirrors, he claims, are chakra resistant and cannot be shattered by brute strength or jutsu. The Uchiha was knocked unconscious by use of senbon, placed in a death like state.

“Kakashi states that at this point, Naruto became enraged, and the Seal cracked, or so he believes. Based on what we know of the seal from Yondaime’s notes, what probably happened is the boy resonated with Kyuubi for the first time and Kyuubi supplied massive chakra. It was enough to scare Kakashi and destroy the ice dome. Both Zabuza and Kakashi ended their battle when a scream rent the air, which froze both of them. They both ran to the shattered ice dome, only to find the Uchiha unconscious, Uzumaki having a panic attack, and the Hyouton user hysterical on the ground. Kakashi checked on the Uchiha, but gave wide berth to Naruto, as he wasn’t sure what had happened, or if Kyuubi was still influencing him. At that time, Zabuza’s ‘boss’- Gatou of the Gatou Shipping Corp- appeared to betray him. Kakashi and Zabuza worked together to eliminate the threat, and then took everyone back to the client’s home.”

Homura and Utatane were silent and thinking as they listened, a multitude of questions were in their minds to ask, but they knew Sarutobi would not have called them for this alone.

“After he awoke, the Hyouton user, known as Haku, spent all his time caring for young Uzumaki. He seemed most concerned with him, and Kakashi states, ‘protective as if he was watching his own little brother’ and Zabuza seemed interested in young Naruto as well, although from Kakashi’s point of view, he thinks it is because of young Haku’s interest only.”

“What is it Sarutobi? Nothing you have told us would cause you to summon us,” Homura asked.

Sarutobi looked at his two old teammates, and wondered how they would take the next statement. He himself upon reading Zabuza’s request had been quite shocked himself. Requests like these were rare nowadays.

“The Demon of the Mist has requested that he and his apprentice Haku be allowed to come to Konohagakure to discuss joining our village.” He sat back and watched the two closely.

“How was the missive from Zabuza worded?” Homura asked thinking quickly.

“Zabuza is smart and he speaks of desiring to live in a peaceful village that does not have a Kage that is more a threat to the village then war itself. He alludes that he knows who or what Naruto is, and offers a trade of information for entry, as his young charge is now bound to Naruto. He also states that young Haku is Jonin level, but has avoided having being identified in any bingo book.”

The old Hokage held out the missive Zabuza had written, as well as Kakashi’s report- which Homaru took to read, leaving it tilted to allow Utatane to skim it as well.

“Am I reading this right?” Homaru asked, almost shocked, “Information on the new village that has appeared in Rice that is actively recruiting missing-nin? Information on Orochimaru? A promise to provide the protection we cannot for Naruto?” Homaru looked up at Sarutobi, and then to Utatane. “This is an unusual and novel approach to joining a village. What does Kakashi think?”

“Kakashi supports that we meet with Zabuza. He writes that, although he doesn’t know what those Hyouton mirrors did, there is some form of a chakra bond between young Haku and Naruto,” he answered. “Also, he feels that they do not mean harm to the village, and from what he saw of the bond and the way the two nin treat Naruto, he was very surprised that they didn’t just try to steal him away.”

Silence reigned in the room.

“That is definitely unexpected. It appears that young Naruto takes more after his mother then his father in making ties in unexpected places.” Utatane said with a small smile, remembering a red-headed Kunoichi who tended to get under people’s skin.

“Kakashi’s summon Pakkun is waiting for our response,” Sarutobi stated, “He also mentioned that he liked the smell of the two nin and that the Hyouton user’s chakra appeared to be calming the Kyuubi. We must now decide what course of action would be best.”

All three were silent as they gathered their thoughts about what could be behind this, and whether it was worth the risk of allowing not just an A-rank missing-nin entry into the village, but access to the young Jinchuuriki. Sarutobi, waited for the two to gather their thoughts and speak them. They would provide him with varied outlooks, which hopefully would point him to making the correct choice.

“Zabuza became missing nin when he took part in the rebellion that took place a few years ago, correct? It would be helpful if we could have more accurate information on Mist. Although they send out teams to Chuunin Exams, they haven’t chosen to host one in awhile. And although we know they are still active and strong, we have very little information about the current Mizukage, let alone the village itself for the past thirteen years. We have never really been able to gain spies into the village, but since the War with Iwa it has been even worse. I have never liked the idea that they are such an unknown,” Koharu started off.

“Information on this village in Rice and Orochimaru would be worth a lot as well. A village that is recruiting missing-nin is always a concern. During the wars it was quite common, but now in such peaceful times…” Homaru’s voice drifted off. “And you know I never understood why you let Orochimaru leave like that. We have had very little news on him since he disappeared from the group Jiraiya has been watching.”

“Mentioning that, we know that this group, Akatsuki, work’s in pairs according to Jiraiya’s latest information. Young Itachi has joined them and is paired to a swordsman of the mist himself, Hoshigaki Kisame, I believe. It might be helpful to gain information on another Akatsuki member,” Sarutobi mentioned.

“Also, since Mist has destroyed most of their bloodlines, salvaging the Hyouton one to be a part of Konoha would be a plus. Since the Senjuu clan has not produced a Mokuton user in several generations, and we do not know if Tenzou will pass it on, it would be interesting to bring a new elemental bloodline to Konoha. One that perhaps has stabilized, unlike Mokuton. Perhaps this is why the summons said the bond is soothing Kyuubi’s chakra?” Koharu stated looking out the window at the Shodai Hokage’s face.

“And there you bring up the key point. Kyuubi.” Homaru placed the missive on the table in front of him. “How do we feel about their interest in young Uzumaki, and why is it that they are offering to protect the boy. As far as I know we have headed off most attacks and no new ones have occurred in years.”

“Well there was that Chuunin-sensei,” Koharu muttered.

Sarutobi put his pipe aside, “Homura, don’t be foolish. Yes, we have kept the boy free from most physical harm, except occasional attacks from the villagers around the anniversary of the Kyuubi attack, but not safe.” He glared at his old teammate. “That boy has suffered severe emotional damage, and even you have admitted that we have the largest case of civil disobedience ever heard of. How many times have we had to increase his allowance due to his inability to afford clothes and food? How many shinobi stores that we have fined for giving him bad equipment or refusing service?”

“He is right,” Koharu stated. “The boy is running around like a happy idiot, but anyone who looks closely can see it is a mask. And it will eventually crumble. I fear what will happen when the smile goes away. If he has begun to resonate with the beast, he needs stability, and for all that Hatake is a good leader he is not exactly what I would call a good choice for emotional support. He is an even bigger basket case then the Uchiha. The boy only has Sarutobi and that Chuunin Umino, neither of whom can give the boy the time and effort he needs,” she looked out the window briefly, “All I think when I see that smile, is that when his father stopped smiling, destruction followed. It scares me. I know we planned to call Jiraiya back to take the boy from the village for a bit, but perhaps if this boy Haku is caring for him and soothing the beast within, we should allow them access.”

“You believe someone called the Demon of the Mist and a shinobi trained by him are the best people to be helping him?” Homaru stated in shock.

“Who better then a man who is called demon to help someone who is accused of being one?” Koharu retorted. “Hatake reports that Zabuza was interested because of his own student. A child that survived a blood purging because of the fear of what they could do is similar to what Uzumaki is going through. The report stated Uchiha wasn’t killed but incapacitated, and he uses senbon- that sounds like he isn’t a killer. Perhaps we should bring them here and watch. It can’t be any worse then what has been done so far, which is nothing.”

“So you are for it?” Sarutobi asked.

“Ah, but with restrictions of course. Keep them in the village watched by ANBU until we feel sure, which if they do stay around Uzumaki will allow us to keep an eye on him as well. That has been harder to do since he became an active Shinobi,” Koharu snorted, “Perhaps the Demon of the Mist can get him out of that orange outfit. I tell you the man who sold them to him as shinobi-wear should be executed.”

All three shared a smile. When they had seen that someone had sold the boy orange clothes for shinobi-wear, all three had tried in subtle ways to get him out of the clothes. But Naruto had held tight to them, perhaps because he was harder to ignore in them.

“Homura?” Sarutobi asked him. Koharu seemed on the side of bringing them in, but he was curious about Homura.

“I am not sure if this is right, but the benefits seem worth at least inviting him to discuss. Let’s have them come; I will feel more comfortable about adding my vote towards this once I have seen them. We should at least agree that if they stay, Ibiki handles him as his ‘watcher’. That is a man whom nothing slides past.”

All three nodded. If Zabuza of the Mist was going to be living in Konoha, he would need to be watched and have several interviews. Who better than head of T&I to handle it, especially when you have one like Ibiki who specializes in psychological torture rather than physical torture to gain information. To torture someone mentally, you had to be able to read them better than the average shinobi.

Looking at the two, Sarutobi smiled, and then stood up to write a response to Kakashi and two nūke-nins.

“Then I leave the two of you to prepare for the groups return, I would guess in about a week, two at most. I want the two of you to sit in on the meeting. I trust that you two will ask the right questions, allowing me to watch. Once we all feel comfortable we can then negotiate, or refuse,” he turned back around to leave the room, “I will speak with you once we receive word they are near the village, I want us to meet with Zabuza once he is here, and perhaps we can catch him off guard more easily.”

The two nodded, as he walked away.

Sarutobi walked into his office, and saw Pakkun resting comfortably; he remembered the words the summons had said, Blood, water and change, like Kushina-chan.

He looked at Minato’s face on the wall, “Minato, perhaps your son has found a protector, which we could not be?”

{RoD}

Homaru looked at his fellow Elder, and then spoke, “For once I am going to say, Danzo should not be advised of this until we have made a choice. I can tell you now he would be for this, to gain information and a teacher for the boy. Kami knows he is still perturbed that the boy could not be in his care.”

Koharu nodded, “Agreed; besides I am beginning to agree with Sarutobi that Danzo is becoming dangerous. I feel secure in using him during wars, and tense times, but when trying to maintain the peaceful balance that has been built…” she stared at the wall in front of her, “perhaps it is time to start watching him ourselves.”

Homaru nodded and stood to leave the room. A small part of him feared though that trouble was up ahead, and Danzo was always one to grab power in troubled times. It was getting the power away, when he was no longer needed, that was the problem. But Danzo was a useful, if dangerous, tool for the village.

{RoD}

Pakkun ran through the woods outside Tazuna’s house, he could smell Kakashi was inside, and from the smell of it, dinner being cooked. As he neared the home, he could hear people moving around inside and outside the house and he saw Kakashi reading by an open window. He jumped through, and landed right next to his summoner. Seeing Kakashi look up from his book to him, he dropped the message tube down.

“Return message from Hokage,” he muttered.

“That was fast, Pakkun,” Kakashi stated, taking the tube. He read the note from the Hokage and then took the second in hand. “What feel did you get while you were in Konoha?”

Pakkun looked out the window, “As I have said before, Konoha is off and has been since your sensei died. But I smelled hope on the Hokage when he read the missive. I think the boy being alone has bothered him.”

Kakashi winced, his summons have never understood why he had distanced himself from the boy.

“Thanks Pakkun. I won’t need you for anything else. You can head out.”

Pakkun snorted and then poofed away, “Change is coming Kakashi, better watch or it will slip by you again,” the pug’s words echoed in the silence.

{RoD}

Zabuza read the note in his hand again.

Momochi Zabuza,   
I invite you and your companion to Konohagakure   
To discuss your interest in joining our village

This letter and seal will allow you safe passage through  
Fire and Konoha, with Hatake Kakashi and team as escort

As long as you and your companion cause no problems  
You will be safe, and if an agreement cannot be made  
This will serve as your pass for safe leave away from the village.

The Sandaime Hokage,   
Sarutobi Hiruzen

“Well, for better or worse, Haku, we are heading to the Village Hidden in the Leaves,” Zabuza stated aloud.

“Hai, Zabuza,” Haku answered silently from the doorway.

Haku entered, silent and patient. He knew Zabuza would tell him his thoughts when he was ready. Both had been shocked and wary at how easy it had been to convince Kakashi to allow them to send the missive. Over the past few days, Haku had stayed close to Naruto, and Zabuza had remained nearby, a silent observer, watching and noting the actions of one small, loud boy. Hatake had watched silently from afar, but had seemed to pay them almost no attention. They had also noticed that the sensei of this genin team seemed to have little interest in any of his students. Yet, he was aware of everything they did. Almost as if he was not their sensei, as much as their watch dog.

What had seemed to be a preference for the Uchiha after the incident on the bridge, had turned out to be just a concern for his injuries. Once the boy had awoken, he had shown him as little acknowledgement as he had shown the girl or Naruto. It bothered Zabuza, that after a few months, that Hatake and his team where as uncomfortable with each other as they had gleaned from Naruto. It seemed that the team had done very little in building their teamwork as was common on genin teams. Only constant D-ranks, team training that usually was limited to just sparing between the Uchiha and Naruto, and getting used to each of their styles. Very little else. The team’s dynamic seemed very off as well.

Since the Uchiha had been cleared to move around, they had noticed that he was quiet, moody, and ignored almost everyone who spoke to him. He glared often at Zabuza and Haku, and the only one who appeared to get a response out of the boy was Naruto, who constantly seemed to drag the Uchiha into an argument of sorts. It was a rivalry, yet one that both seemed to be anxious to keep. But the girl Sakura, seemed oblivious to the two boy’s interaction. She constantly jumped in to defend the Uchiha, who did not appear to need or want her assistance. She constantly berated Naruto, and he seemed to accept it, and in fact worshiped the girl.

It was a twisted love triangle, Uzumaki in love with Haruno and desperate for her attention. Haruno, who was almost obsessively in love with the Uchiha, who in turn seemed to despise the girl for her attention? And the Uchiha, he desired no one, yet he noticed Uzumaki. All the while, Hatake Kakashi was watching as if he had his own personal romance book playing out in front of him for his amusement.

Haku himself, after seeing the team healed and together, had to wonder what Konoha had been thinking to place these four together. He had stayed silent, only bringing attention when he felt that the girl was going too far. He would also attempt to separate Naruto from them so that he could get the boy to open up. A part of him wondered what type of village Konoha was, and with Zabuza’s encouragement, tried to draw Naruto out for information.

Strangely, for a boy who seemed to never stop talking, he said very little. Haku was quite surprised to learn everything and yet nothing about Konoha, and for all that Naruto ran around boasting of his skills and plans for the future. The boy spoke nothing about himself. Haku felt like he was pulling teeth in attempts to get even the slightest information from Naruto.

He lived alone.

His favorite color was orange.

He had an obsession with Ramen.

The village was happy.

Ichiraku’s was the best Ramen stand.

The trees were large and the best view of the village…was from the Hokage monument.

The boy provided useless information with little real knowledge; not a single explanation behind the statements he made. It’s actually a useful ability, Zabuza had mentioned when Haku had been explaining how so little information was being acquired. His need to hide anything about himself is something that will aid him as a shinobi if he learns to use it.

“Hatake said we would be leaving in a few days,” Zabuza finally stated. He turned to look at Haku, “You still wish to do this? Once we go there is no backing down.”

Haku looked Zabuza in the eye, “Hai, I wish to stay with him, and I know you see it too.”

Zabuza nodded, just as he was about to speak again, Naruto ran into the room.

“Haku, dinner is-” Naruto stopped as he noticed the tension in the room. “Did I interrupt something?”

Haku and Zabuza watched as he stood awkwardly before them one hand behind his head scratching at his neck, eyes squinting at the two nuke-nin. The boy took the pose any time that he was unsure of himself.

“Iie, gaki, I was just telling Haku that your Hokage has invited us to Konoha,” Zabuza watched as the boy froze and looked at him. For a second hope, fear and several other emotions moved through Naruto’s eyes, before they squinted shut.

“Really?” He shouted loudly, his face forming a wide grin. The boy shifted his face to look from side to side, expressing his confusion. “You guys are coming with us to Konoha?”

“Ah, but we can talk about this later, let’s go eat. The food is quite good, isn’t…” Haku said pulling Naruto from the room, leaving Zabuza behind to follow.

As he listened to them head downstairs, Zabuza look down at the note again. I hope this is the right thing to do. That boy is worse off than Haku was when I found him. Why do I keep getting myself into messes like this? Zabuza sighed, and moved to follow the boys downstairs.

{RoD}

“Zabuza,” Kakashi spoke to catch the nin’s attention.

Zabuza was once again sitting in the tree, watching the water in the moonlight, his large sword balanced in front of him.

“Hatake,” the voice came without the nin moving from his spot.

“Do you realize what you are getting yourself into?”

Zabuza turned his head, and looked at the other Jonin, who was looking at him with a closed expression.

“More then you realize,” he replied after awhile.

Kakashi turned to look out at the water, and wondered what was coming up ahead. Change is coming Kakashi. Pakkun’s words echoed in his head.


End file.
